McFadden's mother not satisfied with police investigation

by Merrilee Moore

Monica Jones places flowers near where the body of her son, Clifton 'Tre' McFadden, was found on May 23. (Merrilee Moore/NewsChannel 12)

JACKSONVILLE, Onslow County - The Onslow County Sheriff's Office has closed the case of a man found dead along the side of a road without pursuing any charges, but for the man's mother, there are still plenty of questions without answers.

Clifton "'Tre" McFadden was found in a ditch alongside Stella Road on May 23 - eight days after he was last seen alive. The Onslow County Sheriff's Office said in a statement earlier this week that McFadden had been riding in a car with three other individuals before jumping from it while it was traveling between 50 and 60 mph.

OCSO said he was behaving erratically before jumping from the vehicle unassisted and had a history of mental issues. McFadden's mother, Monica Jones, disputes that.

What they're describing happened that he just freaked out and jumped out of a car is not characteristic of my son at all," she said. "And any of his friends will tell you the very same thing."

According to OCSO, the three people stopped to look for McFadden after he jumped out of the vehicle but couldn't find him. Thinking he had survived the jump and had ran off, they did not report the incident to police.

"There's so many open-ended questions and either no explanation or very flippant explanations," Jones said. "I don't understand this."

Jones says despite police statements, her son was not schizophrenic or bipolar.

Onslow County Sheriff Hans Miller said in a brief statement that "they have to go where the facts lead them."